Boot or other holder for horses



(No Model.)

J. M. E. MORRILL. BOOTYOR OTHER-HOLDER FOR. HORSES;

PatentedDc. 10, 1,895.

ANDREW BLHMMM.PNUT-UTKQWASHINGTON,

UNITED lSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN n; MOERILL, OE BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

BOOT OR OTHER HOLDER FOR HORSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters'QPatent No. 551,135, dated. December 10, 1895. Applict'ign med June 7,1895. serial No. 551,997. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern: y

Be it known that I, JOHN IWI. E. MORRILL,

of Boston, county of Suffolk,-State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Boot or other Holders for Horses, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to boot-holders for horses, fi. e., to holding devices for supporting the usual leather boots at the inner sides of a horses knees to prevent cutting or injury due to interference.

Prior to this invention boot-holders, as usually constructed, have consisted in a leather strap adapted to be passed over the horses shoulders and having connected with its opposite ends elastic webbing or straps, to the ends of which are connected suitable button or holding ends to be attached to the boots. I find that boot-holders of this construction are open to two principal and serious objections, viz., the elastic webbing is soon ruined by the ammonia generated by heat or sweat of the animal; second, there is alack of iieXibility and adaptability to the holder when in use, due to the rigid connection of the button or holding straps with elastic webbing.

To obviate these objections, my invention comprehends, first, the passing of the button or holding straps or membersj as I shall hereinafter call them,loosely through two connected loops, so that the holding members are free to slide through the loops and adjust or adapt themselves to the varying positions of the animal.

My invention further comprehends the use of an india-rubber strap or cord, preferably in the form of a tube, which in use remains inappreciably affected by the ammonia referred to and is easily cleaned, it also providing the required elasticity.

My invention further oomprehends a novel method of attaching the -desired leather or other button tabs to the rubber tubes referred to.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows my improved boot-holder in position upon a horse. Fig. 2 shows the boot-holder by itself on an enlarged scale; Fig. 3, an enlarged sectional detail through one of the button ends or tabs and a portion of its connected rubber tube, and Fig. 4 a detail showing the connection ofthe shoulder-strap with one of the rubber tubes. g

In the particular embodiment of my invention selected for illustration and herein shown in the drawings, a is a shoulderstrap adapted to be passed over the horses shoulders and perforated at its ends for connection with suitable buckles a fast on the intermediate pieces a2.

To the intermediate pieces a? are connected opposite ends of the suspending-loops h b, through which are loosely passed the holding members o o, adapted at their ends for connection with and to hold the boots d. (See Fig. l.) In the present instance of my invention the holdin g members c are fitted at their ends with button-tabs c/ of leather or other suitable material.

The holding members c, Figs. 1 and 2, are free to Slide through the suspending-loops Z) to automatically adjust themselves, as maybe necessary, to the horse or to his movements while traveling.

To guard against injury from the heat of the body or from sweating, I prefer to make the suspending-loops b and holding members c from india-rubber tubing of suitable size and elasticity, the same being inappreciably affected by ammonia even after long continued use, it being also easily cleaned after use.

To properly secure the leather or otherbutton tabs o to the .ends of the holding members, I have devised the means shown best in Figs. 2 and 3, and which consists in forming upon each tab c atapering shank or end, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, and stitching or otherwise securing to the said tapering end one or more stiffening-pieces o2, (see Fig. 3,) preferably of leather. The stiffened end is now covered with one or more, preferably several, layers of waterproof cement which are permitted to harden, and a iinal coat of cement is then applied, and while soft the stiffened end of the'tab is inserted in the expanded end of the rubber tube o, which by its contraction about the cemented stiffened end of the tab holds the latter rmly in place,

IOO

and when the cement has hardened I find it impossible to part the connection, I having found that the rubber tubing Will break before the connection will give Way. In similar manner the ends of the loops b are connected With the intermediate pieces a2.

The connected rubber suspending' -loops may be used for holding shields or other equivalent devices used with or on horses.

My invention is not limited to the particular embodiment herein shown, for it is evident that the construction of the holder embodying` my invention may be considerably varied Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having described one embodiment of my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The herein described boot holder for horses, the same consisting of a non-elastic shoulder strap; elastic and ilexible suspending loops connected with the opposite ends of said strap, and provided with means for fixed adjustment relatively to said strap, and rubber holding members passed loosely through said loops, and provided at their ends with button tabs, as c', substantially as described.

2. In a holding device for horses, the coinbination With a rubber tube, of a non-elastic leather piece having its shank insertedin the expanded end of said rubber tube and held therein by cement and by the contraction of said tube end about the non-elastic leather piece, substantially as described.

3. In a holding device for horses, the combination With a rubber tube, of a non-elastic leather piece, having shank, and one or more layers of non-elastic stiening material secured to said shank, the Whole inserted in the expanded end of said tube and held by contraction of said tube and by cement, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence oi' two subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN M. E. MORRILL, Vitnesses:

FREDERICK L. EMERY, THOMAS J. DRUMuoND. 

